Combined train-pipe coupling and valve.



J. MaK. MIGHAELSON.

COMBINED TRAIN PIPE GOUPLING AND VALVE.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 23, 1909.

Patented J an. 2, 1912.

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J. MOK. MIGHAELSON. COMBINED TRAIN PIPE GDUPLING AND VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 23, 1909. 1,01 3 ,41 Patented Jan. 2, 1912.

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S PATENT OFFCE.

JAMES IVICKENZIE MICHAELSON, OF GENEVA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR F ONE-FOURTHTO J'. It. WERTMAN AND THREE-FOURTHS TO ADAM MCK. MICHAELSON, 0F GENEVA,

- hose extension NEW YORK.

COMBINED TRAIN-PIPE COUPLING AND VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2., 1912.

Application led April 23, 1909. Serial No. 491,717.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES MCKENZIE MIGHAELSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Geneva, in the county of Ontario and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CombinedTrain Pipe Couplings and Valves, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in air brake systems, and has forits primary object the provision of a. novel combined coupling and valvedesigned to increase the efficiency of a system of the character stated.

The invention comprehends the provision of improvements, enabling partsnow commonly employed in the standard systems to be dispensed with,among which may be mentioned the usual angle cocks or valves, or thevalves ordinarily employed at points removed from the train pipecouplings.

The invention also comprehends the provision of an automaticallyactuatable valve located at the point of coupling between the air pipeson adjoining cars of a train pipe, and more particularly the formationof said valve in connection with or as a part attached to the member ormembers of a twin coupling. To those skilled in the art the function ofthe coperating twin coupling members is perfectly clear, the same beingemployed, one at the end of each flexible leading from the train pipesand adapted to engage to form an air passage throughout the train whenthe cars thereof are in their normal coupled position, but toautomatically separate should adjoining cars become uncoupled.

In the use of the present more common or standardized systems, the abovereferred to angle cocks or valves arranged at points removed from theair pipe coupling are utilized manually to close the ends ofdisconnected pipes. However, owing to the length of the flexible hoseextensions, a considerable amount of air is permitted to escape, suchamount depending upon the distance of the angle cocks or valves from thecoupling, and this is disadvantageous, not only by reason of they escapeof the compressed air as an incident to the customary coupling oruncoupling operation, but also because of the fact that in theaccidental breaking apart or separation of adjoining cars, the reductionof the air pressure of the systems affects the operation of the brakes,too much by the volume of the escaping air, rather than by the suddenescape of the steam. It is of course a well-recognized fact that theeffective operation of the brakes in a fluid pressure system dependsmore largely upon the sudden reduction of pressure, rather than upon aheavy reduction of the same. In the use of my improvements, it isobvious that the desired sudden reduction will instantaneously takeplace upon the uncoupling of the compressed air pipe, and that norelatively large volume of compressed air is allowed to escape, owing tothe location of the valves directly at the point of uncoupling.

The invention also embraces a construction of valve mechanism which maybe supplied inconnection with new couplings or which may with greatfacility be installed in couplings now in use; also such a formation ofthe operating parts which will interfere to no extent whatever with theOrdinar y coupling and uncoupling of the air pipes; and further anarrangement whereby the valves in the usual twin couplings, or the valvein one coupling member when coupled with a valveless cooperating member,will be opened to constitute a continuous passageway throughoutadjoining cars, simply by the usual coupling of the air pipe extensionstogether.

The invention still further embraces a combined coupling and. valve ofthe character herein alluded to, provided with means enabling theinterior construction to be readily inspected, adjusted, repaired,removed or installed at will; and preferably without the necessity forVthe employment of special tools or mechanism to that end.

All of the foregoing, together with other novel features in the detailsof construction and arrangement of parts of structures made in keepingwith my present invention, will be apparent from the detaileddescription hereinafter contained, when read in connection with theaccompanying drawings forming part hereof and wherein several convenientembodiments of the invention are illustrated.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a pair of ordinaryflexible hose extensions leading from the adjacent ends of compressedair train pipes, the said extensions being separably connected togetherthrough the medium of twin coupling members of a standard type. Fig. 2is a longitudinal section of one form of the invention showing the twomembers of the coupling in their coupled position. Fig. 3 is a plan viewof the coupling as shown in Fig. l, Fig. 4L is a sectional view of adetached coupling member showing a slightly modified arrangement of theassociated parts of the valve structure, Fig'. 5 is a similar viewshowing another slightly modified structure, Fig. 6 is also a similarview illustrating a still further embodiment of the invention, and Figs.7 andS are respectively transverse sections onthe lines y-y and z-z ofFigs. 5 and 4l. s

Referring more specifically to the drawings wherein like referencecharacters designate corresponding parts in the several views, A, A1represent complementary or twin coupling members of standard or approvedstyle, which need not be specifically referred to herein further than tostate that they are provided with the usual flanges a, al landoverlapping cam surfaces a2, b2 adapted to remain in coupled conditionwhen occupying the position shown in Fig. l, from which it will be notedthat the coupling is carried by and suspended with the usual flexiblehose extensions C projecting from the train pipes C1, but which willautomatically uncouple should the cars separate and the flexibleextensions drawn into alinement or taut. Now with particular referenceto Figs. l, 2 and 3, (and in this connection a description of one of thecoupling members will suflice for both), it will be seen that near theinner or engaging face Z of the coupling member the same is formed withthe usual annular interior groove Z1 for the packing ring D projectingoutwardly beyond the surface d to engage similar packing D1 on theopposing coupling member. The main portion of the member is hollow, asat E, surrounded by a tubular portion El closed at its end by a threadedcap E2 engaging an interior thread e formed in the tubular portion E.Secured between the inner surface of the cap E2 and an an- .nularshoulder f on the member E1 vis a combined guide and spring seat F, thesame having inwardly projecting concentric circular flanges f1 formingtherebetween a spring seat and guide f2, the spring being represented atG and projecting inwardly for a substantial extent toward the inner faceof the coupling member where said spring abuts against a disk-like valveo'r diaphragm H seating against a valve seat it. This valve or diaphragmis carried by a stem H1 secured thereto through the medium of a threadand nut connection k1 the specific interlocking of whereby the valve andits stem may be shifted together. One end of this valve stem extendsinto the tubular portion h2' of the combined guide and seat F and isadapted when the spring G is compressed, to pass through an aperture itstherein and into a recessed portion el in the cap F2. The opposite endof the valve stem projects inwardly a substantial distance beyond theinner face of the coupling member vwhereby to engage the correspondinglyprojected portion of the valve stem H2 on the opposite coupling memberwhen the parts are secured in normal or operating condition. This normalor operating condition is illustrated quite clearly in Fig. 2 from whichit will be observed that the valve stems have mutually thrust each otherinto the coupling members as an incident to the engagement of saidmembers together, thus forcing the valves or diaphragms H away fromtheir seats it against the expansive or seating action of the springs G.vThus the air passage through the coupling is continuous and will bepreserved until the parts are uncoupled, whether by accident orpurposely. When uncoupled, it is clear that the valve or diaphragm Hwill be instantly pressed toits seat it and the air passage closed orobstructed there by this operation taking place in both of the couplingmembers. Should it be found desirable to provide for a somewhat gradualrelief of the air pressure, a small aperture if may be formed in thevalve or diaphragm H.

The form of the device illustrated in Figs. 4L and 7 is in the mainquite similar to that just above described. In the present structure,however, the valve represented at I has a hollow interior spring seat I1for the upper end of the outwardly thrusting spring J, and the inner orseating face of the valve or diaphragm engages a downwardlyprojecting-flange 7c on the packing ring K. In this form furtherprovision is also made to overcome any rocking tendency of the valve andits stem, the latter being shown at I1, said provision consisting ofoutwardly projecting guide ngers L .adapted to pass through openings Zin a guide plate L1, formed with or secured to and projecting outwardlyfrom the outer combined bearing and guide for the spring and guide forthe valve stem, represented at M. Any convenient number of guide fingersL and corresponding openings Z may be used. Y In Figs. 5 and 8, thevalve or diaphragm M1 is shown as being prevented from interior wabblingor rocking by a series of lugs m projecting from the periphery thereofand adapted to travel back and ,forth in grooves m1 formed therefor inthe cylindrical portion N of the coupling member.

Referring now to Fig. 6, we have shown therein a coupling memberprovided with my valve attachment, the arrangement being such that thevalve will be opened as an incident to the connecting of the couplingmembers together, whether or not the opposite or opposing couplingmember is provided with a similar valve arrangement. In this embodimentof the invention, the cylindrical portion of the coupling member isrepresented at formed somewhat elongated relative to the devicesheretofore discussed, or by having a cup-shaped cap secured to therelatively shallow coupling member as indicated in dotted lines at O.The wide range of play or movement of the valve or diaphragm P in thisform of device, enables a much longer extension Q on the valve stem.vThis long extension may, when the coupling members are brought together,contact either with the inner surface of the wall of the oppositecoupling member (shown at R) when said opposite member is valveless, orit may contact with the surface of the valve P when said member isprovided with a similar valve. To enable this mutual engagement of theextensions Q, with the opposite valves or diaphragme P, the valve stemsin this instance are arranged olf-center as shown, to permit theextensions to overlap each other rather than contact at their ends, asin the forms of devices otherwise shown in the drawings.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that I have furnished asimple, eiiicient combined coupling and valve of the character stated,one which will dispense with parts now required in the standard systems,one which will insure greater eiiiciency in the operation of air brakesystems; one which will not impair the usual coupling N1, the same beinginitially and uncoupling functions of the coupling members by which thevalves are carried; and a device in which the valves are automaticallyset to open the air passageway as an incident to the connecting of thecoupling members together; and also a device which may be readilyattached or removed, easily inspected and repaired, and which isapplicable to either new couplings or couplings already in use.

I claim 1. A train pipe coupling head having a side port and a valveseat, a removable valve within the coupling adapted to coperate with theseat, a valve stem on which the valve is mounted, a removable capthreaded into the head opposite the seat, and of a diameter to permitthe removal of the valve when the cap is removed, a stem support andguide adjacent the cap secured in position thereby and having anelongated bearing for the stem, and a spring surrounding the guide andabutting the valve, substantially as described.

2. A train pipe coupling head having a side port and a valve seat, aremovable valve and an opening opposite the seat 0f a diameter to permitthe removal of the valve therethrough, a cap for closing said opening, avalve stem on which the valve is adjustably mounted, a valve stemsupport and guide adjacent the cap and held in place thereby, and aspring on the guide abutting the valve.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

a JAMES MCKENZIE MIGHAELSON.

Witnesses:

J. M. MARGNER, S. F. PERSONS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of IPatents,

Washington, D. G.

